Ratchet for screw drivers



Feb' 3, 1942- M. s. KALBEK 1 2,271,887

RATCHET FOR SCREW DRIVERS v lFiled oct. 29, 1940 n N92. iowzzwo4655- a@ 56 /l 54 @655 .a04 s2 ATTORNEYS Patented Feb. 3, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RATCHET FOR SCREW DRIVERS Martin S. Kalbeck, Buffalo, N. Y.

Application October 29, 1940, Serial No. 363,307

3 Claims.

My invention relates in general to ratchets and particularly to a ratchet for tools such as screwdrivers.

The principal object of my invention has been to provide a ratchet for a general purpose screwdriver in which the shanks may be interchanged to adapt the tool to specific uses, enabling the workman to use the shank at the ratchet end of the tool in oonned places while using another shank at the other end of the tool as a handle.

Another object has been to provide a screwdriver having a ratchet wheel so designed that the shank which engages the wheel may be adjusted to any desired position within the screwdriver to meet special requirements.

A further object has been to provide a one-way ratchet for a screwdriver.

A further object has been to provide a detachable knob for use at the end of the shank carried by the ratchet, whereby the shank may be pressed toward the screw by the workman while being driven.

Moreover, my ratchet is provided with a clutch or spring retaining means for the laterally arranged shank whereby the same may be ad.- justed to and held in any desired position.

Moreover, the Shanks of my tool are each provided with ball retaining means so as to hold them in place within the body part of the screwdriver and also within the detachable knob of my device.

Furthermore, my ratchet preferably comprises a two-part ratchet wheel between which is mounted the shank retaining spring or clutch of v the structure.

The above objects and advantages have been acccomplished by the device shown in the accompanying drawing, of which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of my invention showing it assembled for use as a ratchet screwdriver.

Fig. 2 is a side, fragmentary, sectional eleva- Fig. 6 is a fragmentary, sectional view of a modified form of ratchet wheel and clutch.

The tool shown to illustrate my invention @onsists of a screwdriver provided with a number of Shanks or screwdriver bits I3 and I4 of different lengths so as to make the tool adaptable for various uses. The `device comprisesa body I0 having a cylindrical part II and a shank-engaging part I2 for the reception of the desired Shanks of the tool. The shank-engaging part I2 of the body is preferably provided throughout its length with a channel I5 of a cross-section substantially identical with that of the shank, which in the drawing is shown as being square. A suitable pin I6 is passedvthrough the shank-engaging portion I2 which acts as a stop for the shank I3 when it reaches the innermost limit of its travel. This pin also acts as a stop for the ratchet pawl spring 20, to be hereinafter described. Each of the Shanks is preferably provided with a screw-engaging point 5I at one end and a retaining ball 2| at the other end which is pressed outwardly beyond the surface of the shank by means of a spring 22. Obviously, the ball is forced inwardly substantially in line with the surface of the shank when the same isvinserted in the body or otherwise engaged. By this means the shank I3 may be replaced by a shank III or may be replaced Aby a longer or shorter shank as required by the workin hand. With the parts assembled as shown in Fig. 1, the shank I3 is used as a handle for rotating the shank I 4 through the medium of the ratchet means of the tool to be hereinafter described.

The cylindrical part II of the tool is provided with a cylindrical recess`23 in which my ratchet wheel assembly 24 is mounted. A retaining washer 25 is tted into a countersunk recess 26 at the upper end of the recess 23 for retaining the ratchet parts in position. This washer is preferably pressed in position within the recess and may be secured therein by suitable peening. The washer 25 and the bottom wall 30 at the bottom of the recess 23 are each preferably formed, respectively, with apertures 3| and 32. These apertures are axially arranged with the recess 23 and are of such size as to permit the free longitudinal passage of either of the Shanks. The ratchet wheel assembly comprises an upper ratchett wheel 33 and a lower ratchet wheel 34, which are arranged adjacent each other and prevented from relatively rotating by means of a. pin 35 which passes through registering apertures 36 formed in the ratchet Wheel parts. Each of the ratchet wheels 33 and 34 is provided with a polygonally-shaped and centrally arranged aperture 40 for the non-rotatable reception of one of the shanks of the screwdriver. These apertures, as well as the ratchet teeth 4I of each wheel, are of course kept in registering position by means of the pin 35. The bottom ratchet wheel 34 is formed with an annular counterbore or recess 42 within which is mounted a shankretaining spring or clutch 43. This spring is preferably round in cross-section and is in the form of a circle having an inner diameter slightly less than the distance across the corners of the shank so that when the shank is passed into and through the spring, the spring will be eX- panded somewhat so as to frictionally engage the shank. The spring is provided with a downwardly extending end 44 which engages with an aperture 45 formed at the bottom of the recess 42 of the lower ratchet wheel 34. The engagenv ment of the end 44 with the ratchet wheel prevents rotation of the spring within the wheel, and the spring being mounted within the recess 42 is prevented from moving axially with respect to the ratchet wheels.

The channel I formed in the shank-retaining part I2 of the body of the device is preferably extended through such engaging part and opens up into the circular recess 23 of the cylindrical part of the body. The ratchet pawl 48 of my device which has la cross-sectional shape substantially the same as the channel is mounted in the inner end of the channel with its end 50 extending into the recess 23 where it engages with the teeth 4I of the ratchet wheels. The spring .20 which has one end bearing against the stop pin I6 and its other end bearing against the pawl serves to keep the pawl pressed outwardly in yielding engagement with the teeth of the ratchet wheels.

When the tool is assembled as shown in Fig. l the shank I4 may be used to drive a screw and while in such position the ratchet of the device may be brought into action. As is well known, when so used it is necessary to hold the shank I4 endwise in order that the screw-engaging portion 5I of the shank may be held in engagement with the screw head. In order to make this more comfortable for the operator, a knob 52 is provided which is placed upon the upper end of the shank I4. This knob, for convenience in the drawing, is shown as cylindrical. However, if desired the knob may be made with a flat top or any other suitable conguration.

When it is desired to use the shank carried by the shank-engaging part I2 of the tool, 0r in other words the shank I3 of Fig. 1, the shank I4 or another shank of suitable length may be engaged with the cylindrical portion of the body part and so disposed as to project a suitable distance beyond each side thereof. In this position this shank will act as a T-handle for the operator, whereby great pressure and force may be exerted upon the screw being driven.

Instead of a two-part ratchet wheel assembly just above described, a modification in the ratchet wheel may be made as shown in Fig. 6. Here the ratchet wheel 53 is made in one piece and formed in its upper or lower face with a counterbore 54 in which is mounted the shankretaining spring or clutch 55. This form of spring is also provided with a downwardly extending arm 56 which engages an aperture 5'! formed in the ratchet wheel.

From the foregoing it will be obvious that the shank mounted within the shank engaging portion is prevented from further movement inwardly by the stop pin I6. When this shank is being used, the shank I4 carried by the cylindrical portion may be used as a handle, thus enabling the operator to exert great force upon the tool. Since this shank is movable axially, it may be adjusted to any desired position where it will be comfortable for the operator. The axial adjustment of the shank I4 is also of great value when this shank is being used, for the body part of the tool may be placed in the position best suited to the convenient operation of the tool, which enables the operator to use the tool in confined or limited places where without this adjustment a screw would otherwise be inaccessible. The provision of ratchet means further adds to the usefulness of my tool, permitting a screw to be driven in places where only a limited turning movement of the tool can be had.

Obviously, some modifications of the details herein shown and described may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention or the scope of the appended claims, and I do not, therefore, wish to be limited to the exact embodiment herein shown and described, the form shown being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

l. A ratchet for use in a tool body, said ratchet comprising a ratchet wheel and an engaging ratchet pawl, said ratchet wheel being mounted against longitudinal movement within a recess formed in said body, said wheel being formed with a centrally-arranged, polygonally-shaped aperture for the reception of a polygonallyshaped tool and with a recess in one end, and an annular spring located vin the wheel recess for engagement with the corners of said tool.

2. A ratchet for use in a tool body, said ratchet comprising a two-part ratchet wheel and an engaging ratchet pawl, said wheel being mounted against longitudinal movement within a recess formed in said body, means for fastening the wheel parts together for unison rotation, said wheel parts each being formed with a centrallyarranged, polygonally-shaped aperture for the reception of a polygonally-shaped tool, and an annular spring mounted between said wheel parts for engagement with the corners of said tool.

3. A ratchet for use in a tool body, said ratchet comprising a two-part ratchet wheel and an engaging ratchet pawl, said wheel being mounted against longitudinal movement within a recess formed in said body, means for fastening the wheel parts together for unison rotation, said wheel parts each being formed with a centrallyarranged, polygonally-shaped aperture for the reception of a polygonally-shaped tool, one of said parts being formed with an annular recess, and an annular spring mounted between said wheel parts and engageable with the corners of said tool.

MARTIN S. KALBECK. 

